Clergy & Program Staff

The Rev. Peter T. Vanderveen
Rector

Clergy

Peter Vanderveen

Peter T. Vanderveen was the rector of Saint Ann’s Church, Old Lyme, Connecticut for fourteen years. Prior to this call, he served parishes as an assistant rector in Chatham, Massachusetts, and as a curate in Branford, Connecticut. Born in 1961, Peter was raised in Michigan, educated in schools operated by the Christian Reformed Church, and his family attended worship at the United Church of Christ (Congregational, or UCC). While he was in graduate school seeking a Masters of Divinity degree, he was hired as a singer in an Episcopal parish. Within the year, he was confirmed as an Episcopalian and soon began the ordination process within the Diocese of Connecticut. Peter received his bachelor’s degree from Calvin College in Michigan with a major in philosophy, and holds an M. Div. from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. He is an avid reader in both philosophy and theology, and believes parishes should demand, as they deserve, leaders who are committed to a deeply thoughtful exposition of Christian faith and life.



Within the Diocese of Connecticut, Peter served for six years on the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Church at Yale (ECY). He is an instructor in philosophical theology for the Ministry Exploration and Education Program, which is a concentrated, two-year preparatory course of study for persons considering ordained ministry. He teaches systematic theology for those in training for the vocational deaconate. At the national church level, Peter is a reader for the General Board of Examining Chaplains.


Peter is married to Patricia Bennett, a journalist, former ECY board member, and adjunct professor in media history at Quinnipiac University in New Haven. They have two adult daughters who reside in Boston. The elder, Roysin Bennett Younkin, is an architectural historian. Their younger daughter, Alexis, is a graduate student in interior design.

The Rev. Jo Ann B. Jones
Associate Rector

Clergy

Jo Ann Jones

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Jo Ann Jones first attended St. James Episcopal Church where she was baptized and confirmed. She attended Baltimore Friends School, from which she graduated in 1969. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Swarthmore College in 1973 and her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1976.


Her professional positions include Office of Area (later Regional) Counsel of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Philadelphia; an associate at Pohoryles and Greenstein in Washington, D.C; Philadelphia Law Department; General Counsel to the Philadelphia Housing and District of Columbia Housing Authority; Assistant General Counsel for Drexel University. She served on the boards of several non-profits and Executive Director of MANNA. In February of 2007, she joined the Nutter for Mayor and later the Nutter Administration as Deputy Director, Office of Housing and Community Development.


A longtime member of The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, she has served as Rector’s Warden, member of the Vestry, chairing the Evangelism and Stewardship Committees; the Altar Guild and Chancel Choir; delegate to Diocesan Conventions. Ms. Jones was a member of the Standing Committee (2009-2014) and its secretary (2013-2014). She has also represented the Diocese as a Lay Deputy to General Convention from 1997 to 2015 and has chaired two legislative committees on behalf of the House of Deputies: Social and Urban Affairs (2006) and Congregational Vitality (2015).


Retiring from the City of Philadelphia in 2014, Ms. Jones became a postulant in the Diocese of Pennsylvania and graduated from The General Theological Seminary on May 17, 2017 and was ordained to the transitional diaconate on June 17 and to the priesthood on December 16, 2017.

The Rev. Winnie Smith
Associate Rector

Clergy

Winnie Smith

Winnie Smith graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary in May, 2022, and is excited to begin her ordained ministry at the Church of the Redeemer. Winnie’s earliest childhood years were spent in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, before her family relocated to Larchmont, New York, where they were active members of the local Episcopal church. She attended Sewanee: the University of the South, graduating in 2012 with a degree in Political Science. Winnie then served as Director of Youth Ministries at St. Luke’s Church, Darien, CT for three years. There she recognized her love of working with young people, something she believes will continue as she moves through her ordained life and career. 


After St. Luke’s, Winnie moved to Alexandria, DC and worked in international grants and corporate fundraising for United Way Worldwide for three years. During that time, she recognized her call to the priesthood and began the formal discernment process, landing at Virginia Theological Seminary. While at VTS, Winnie worked for two years at a parish in Alexandria and spent one summer as a hospital chaplain at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, TX. 


Winnie’s sister and brother-in-law live in the Philadelphia area with their children, and she is so excited to have them close by as she explores her new home. Her parents, in southwestern Virginia, are pleased to have both children in one city for the first time since high school.

Joshua Castaño
Parish Administrator

Program Staff

Joshua Castaño

Joshua moved to Philadelphia in 2013 to begin working at the national nonprofit Partners for Sacred Places to follow his passion for religious properties. Since then he has served in a number of leadership roles, most recently as Director of Special Initiatives; developing new programs, overseeing grantmaking and assistance to congregations nationally, and working directly with congregations on fundraising, community engagement, and the alignment between property and mission. Joshua appears frequently as a highlighted speaker, facilitator, and presenter across the country on topics related to preserving historic religious properties, capital fundraising for houses of worship, and effective community engagement around church property. Recent highlights of his work include managing a team collaborating with two Episcopal Dioceses to help over eighty parishes find new ways to use their properties for mission, while investing in their buildings and grounds in sustainable and strategic ways. He also developed a unique partnership with the Philadelphia Orchestra for an upcoming organ festival in 2024. Joshua obtained a BA in Art History at Oberlin College where he curated an exhibition highlighting Philadelphia-architect Robert Venturi's landmark work on campus.

 

Though raised in the Presbyterian Church, Joshua was drawn to the beauty of the Anglican tradition and the Episcopal Church. Since 2014 he has been active in many ministries and leadership roles at Saint Mark’s, Philadelphia, where he has served on vestry and as Accounting Warden and Treasurer. In the spring of this year he pursued a long hoped-for spiritual pilgrimage and completed 315 km of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Joshua lives in an 1889 Frank Furness row house in the Wissahickon neighborhood of Philadelphia with his partner Kyle, a social worker and assistant director of autism service and policy research, at the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute.

Ken Garner
Director of Communications & Stewardship

Program Staff

Ken Garner

Ken came to us in July 2004 from St. Paul’s Church in Chestnut Hill, where he served for many years as Parish Administrator. Ken has long experience in non-profit administration and development. He both created and initiated the ministries in this new position, through a generous anonymous donation to further the implementation of our strategic plan. Ken is primarily responsible for the oversight of all parish communications (publications, service media, website, publicity, social media) and works closely with the Stewardship Committee, the vestry, and the rector to deepen and strengthen our understanding of stewardship and increase parish giving.



Ken is also an accomplished professional singer and he is a long-time member of the all-professional The Philadelphia Singers and a staff singer here at The Redeemer. He also appears regularly as soloist with regional performing ensembles and recently soloed with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Ken lives in Philadelphia with his long-time partner (since 1980) and now husband (since September 14, 2014) Bob Mikrut who is a costume designer/constructor and is Verger here at The Redeemer and a Fellow of the Vergers Guild of the Episcopal Church. Ken & Bob share their lives with two wonderful golden retrievers: Dorabella and Despina (aka Dora & Desi from Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte).

Francesca Merritt
Program Assistant


Office Hours
Mondays-Friday 9am-3:30pm

Program Staff

Fran Merritt

Francesca was born and raised in New Jersey and served as a church cantor and song leader in churches of all denominations since the age of 16. She went on to study music and biology at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. After graduation, she performed in operas at the regional level in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In conjunction with her singing, Francesca maintained a busy professional life in the corporate arena and worked in the pharmaceutical field for more than 10 years. Francesca switched her career focus after her son, Augustine, was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. She began to work in the areas of advocacy, community wellness, and outreach in the state of Pennsylvania and at her hometown church, The First Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne. Francesca coordinates weddings, baptisms, and funerals and supports the staff and clergy with special projects.

Rebecca Northington
Director of Youth Ministries

Program Staff

Rebecca Northington

Rebecca MacLean Northington graduated from Villanova University in December of 2022 with a Masters in Theology and Ministry. Rebecca grew up in the Redeemer community and was an active member of the Redeemer Youth Group in the 1990’s. Rebecca graduated from Davidson College with a degree in English in 1997 and spent many years teaching and working with at-risk families in Charlotte, North Carolina.


Rebecca and her husband Ryan, relocated to the area in 2001 after the birth of their first son and Rebecca continued to work with young people through coaching and mentoring, while growing their family. In 2014 Rebecca began to discern a call to serve in the Church and ultimately began attending classes at General Theological Seminary in New York. She eventually transferred to Villanova to complete their masters program. While Rebecca attended classes she re-built the Youth Program at Redeemer. Redeemer is attractive to youth from many faith backgrounds as it offers a safe and open-minded community in which youth can discern their own faith path.


Ryan and Rebecca continue to be active members of the Redeemer community and Rebecca is excited to begin this next chapter of growing and institutionalizing the youth program at Redeemer. Rebecca believes that there has never been a more critical time to offer youth a path of love and faith which can often be in tension with the culture of our times.

Paulo Reyes
Sexton

Program Staff

Paulo Reyes

Paulo Reyes is originally from Monterry, Mexico. He is a graduate of the State University in Monterrey with a degree in Communication Sciences and Graphic Arts. He relocated to Pennsylvania in 1999 and became an United States citizen. He joined the staff at The Redeemer in November of 2001.


As Sexton at Redeemer, he provides assistance for functions and services and support to staff, clergy and parishioners and oversees the housekeeping staff.


Before coming to Redeemer, he worked as a quality control machine operator for AGS Sea food Co. in salmon packing and cannery in Ketchikan, Alaska and as an assembling electronic operator for MARS Electronic International.


He is an active advocate for the Hispanic Community in Kennett Square, PA for the Migrant Ministries of Chester County.

Andrew Senn
Director of Music




Program Staff

Andrew Senn

Born in Chicago, IL and the son of a Lutheran pastor and theologian, Andrew Senn experienced music as an important part of his childhood. Piano lessons began at age six but his focus switched to the organ when he was twelve, studying with William Alyesworth. During his high school years, Andrew sang in the choir and served as Organ Scholar at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston, Illinois, under the leadership of Richard Webster.

 

He attended the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA where he studied organ with John Weaver. During this time, he was one of the assistant organists at the Wanamaker Organ, where he performed over 2,000 recitals. Upon his graduation from Curtis in 2000, he was offered a combined position of Organ and Choral Scholar at Truro Cathedral in Cornwall, England where he worked under Andrew Nethsingha. He has enjoyed further organ coachings with Martin Jean, Kimberly Marshall, and David Schrader. Andrew was a finalist in improvisation in the 2013 Luxembourg International Organ Competition.

 

Prior to his appointment at The Redeemer, Andrew served as Director of Music at The First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia from 2006-2023, where he directed the professional choir, introduced a volunteer choir, as well as a concert series that included programs of solo instruments, chamber recitals, and choral concerts with orchestra. Notable programs included J. S. Bach's "B Minor Mass" and "Saint John Passion," Maurice Duruflé's "Requiem," and Francis Poulenc's "Concerto for Organ, Timpani, and Strings." Since 2011, Andrew has also served as Organist/Pianist at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park, PA.

 

Known for his commanding and colorful performances, Andrew has been featured as a recitalist across the United States and Europe. American venues have included The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine and St. Thomas Church in New York City; St. Philip's Cathedral and Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta, and Old West Church in Boston. European performances have taken place across England (Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral, London), France (Nancy Cathedral and St. Thomas, Strasbourg), and Germany (Evangelische Saalkirche, Ingelheim).

 

James Hildreth has said the following about Andrew's debut recording on the ProOrgano label, which includes works by Reubke, Willan, and Vierne: "These performances are a rare combination of authentic interpretation and personal flair - Élan Vital! They compel one to sit up and listen." Gaining a reputation as a fine composer and arranger, scores and information about other recordings are available at www.andrewsenn.com.


Andrew's husband, Edward Senn, is associate organist at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. They have twin children Arabella and Anthony.

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